Matt Russell has made football in Colorado great, from his days as a decorated linebacker for the CU Buffs to his role building the Broncos into a Super Bowl contender as an executive with the local NFL team. In the mountain town of Breckenridge over the Fourth of July weekend, Russell was arrested on multiple charges, including DUI and careless driving, after his truck collided with a police SUV.

So how does the NFL respond? Commissioner Roger Goodell is often applauded for protecting the league shield, when he suspends players for off-field trouble. Broncos receiver Brandon Marshall was fined more than $50,000 and missed a game in 2008 due to suspension. Detroit Lions president Tom Lewand was suspended for 30 days and fined $100,000 after he pleaded guilty to driving while impaired in 2010. While Russell has apologized, punishment from the league seems likely. What should it be? Listen to Peter Burns of Mile High Sports Radio and I discuss it here:

“Tailgating and alcohol are almost as much a part of the NFL’s game day experience as stadium video boards and cheerleaders.” Unfortunately for Russell it wasn’t game day, and he was doing another kind of “tailgating.”

#2 Comment By Skalamoosh On July 9, 2013 @ 2:13 pm

On the contrary, I don’t think those that drink safely and have a sober driver while “tailgating” will feel any sympathy for this man. Just because someone drinks doesn’t mean that they condone drinking and driving.

#3 Comment By mrfxx On July 9, 2013 @ 2:35 pm

We MIGHT feel sorry for this man if he had merely driven erratically (like Helton) and not first hit one car AND DROVE AWAY then hit a police SUV down the road – and to add insult to injury, he had an open container in the front seat! He deserves the book thrown at him by both the judicial system AND the NFL!

#4 Comment By matt On July 9, 2013 @ 2:58 pm

They should let a fully padded Von Miller tackle him as hard as he can

#5 Comment By Dynamicdave On July 9, 2013 @ 3:40 pm

The title of the article said “if any?” Of course he should be punished. Damn, he hit 2 cars, one being a police cruiser. What could have happened from that accident could have been a lot worse. The NFL will not give him any special passes because he is staff. Nope, welcome to the world. Hopefully, this will be a wake up call for him? You play, you pay.

#6 Comment By U.S. Citizen On July 9, 2013 @ 3:57 pm

Podcast in a news article = I’m not listening.

#7 Comment By George McDowell On July 9, 2013 @ 4:39 pm

He was so drunk he hit TWO cars, including a police car. He could have hit the car carrying your son or daughter and killed them. He didn’t give a damn. Drunks never do.

The NFL should not punish him because he should no longer be employed by an NFL team. So long as the Denver Broncos and Pat Bowlen send a clear message that the community comes first, there won’t be a continued problem (see below) with this.

Oh! And I guess I can add Tom Heckert to the list too. Another day, another Bronco exec gets arrested. I guess character really matters to Pat Bowlen.

#9 Comment By BroncoMan24 On July 9, 2013 @ 5:13 pm

Ok… How many of you have gotten in a car drunk or above the limit? I bet 9 out of 10 of you have. Just because you don’t get caught doesn’t make you any better than the person that has been. Your moral compass doesn’t distinguish between the two. That is why I cannot understand why people want to come down so hard on players, coaches and staff when this happens to the majority of people. Everyone makes mistakes. Let the police do there job and enforce whatever penalty that goes along with a DUI. I don’t know why the NFL or the teams feel they have to butt in.

#10 Comment By Gurg On July 9, 2013 @ 10:28 pm

Broncos must fire him and lose a million dollars from their team salary cap.

#11 Comment By Spider1952 On July 9, 2013 @ 10:31 pm

He should be forced to read Kickin’ it with Kiszla every day for the rest of his life.

#12 Comment By Dynamicdave On July 10, 2013 @ 2:24 am

Okay, But how many have driven drunk, hit 2, I repeat “2” cars (one being a police cruiser) and not think that you are screwed? Don’t give this man a pass because “everybody has done it…” Bull****! That is weak. Not everybody has done it. That is hypothetical speculation. Have you done it? Maybe that is why you sympathize? Maybe that’s MY speculation? See my point? Don’t give him a pass. I REPEAT; “YOU PLAY, YOU PAY!!! End of discussion. He could have killed someone. Also, he is a man in a position of HIGH scrutiny! He SHOULD pay a larger price for his mistake. If you can’t understand that concept than I guess you missed the point? Not above the law. That is why they are fined so heavily. Not because they are the same as us, but rather, that they should conduct themselves at a higher standard than the rest of us simply because that is what is expected of those under the spotlight. Guess what, my birthday is today (July 10) and I have work today. NO DUI’S! HOME, SAFE. People need to grow some discipline. Tired of excuses for bad judgement.

#13 Comment By BroncoMan24 On July 10, 2013 @ 6:56 am

Actually no I have never been charged with a DUI. Although I rarely drink I have been behind the wheel while being over the limit (I am not proud of) which isn’t saying much because that could be a beer or two. I think you are missing the point. You dramatic guys are so funny. No one said to give him a pass (please read post). I am just saying that the NFL needs to stay out of it. My main points are that A) quit being a hypocrite because you probably have been in the same situation and B) the NFL needs to stay out of it and let the police and our government take care of it.

I can’t stand when some idiot replies to your post while having no clue as to what he is talking about. Hmmm… Do you know any guys like that? It is funny how you refer to hypothetical speculation, but then you go on to say he could of killed someone. Uh hello? Isn’t that hypothetical speculation?

You are right on one thing though. People do need to learn to be disciplined. There is no excuse for it, but asking for him to get fired is little extreme (which at least one poster commented).

You can see them as role models or as a person in position of “high scrutiny” if you want. The fact is the NFL is full of thugs and prima donnas (with exception of few players). They are human just like us. People need to realize this and shouldn’t hold them to a higher standard.

#14 Comment By Alex Harrison On July 10, 2013 @ 7:12 am

They represent one of THE best and most storied sports franchises. Surely they should be held to a higher standard than most people, simply because they are in that position. If it had been one, I’d have said a suspension, but two – I’m afraid I’d fire both and show the community, the NFL and the team what the Broncos organisation expects in terms of behaviour.

#15 Comment By rod On July 10, 2013 @ 8:12 am

Its obvious to any honest observer that Mr. Russell does not have the moral compass
that the Broncos should be looking for in a employee.
I’ll give Mr. Russel a pass for the “misjudgement” of driving while drunk as mistakes are made by all of us.
But to hit a car in Frisco and continue to drive???? That’s unconscionable in my mind.
What sort of person does that?? When does the internal moral compass of Mr. Russell
kick in that tells him he’s done something wrong and should stop…Apparently Mr. Russell
internal moral compass doesn’t tell him to stop.. but tell him to continue driving.. in hopes
of avoiding any trouble?? Mr. Russell continues to drive from Frisco to Breckenridge and
“luckily he hits a parled police car with a officer inside (i say luckily because who knows how much more driving (and destruction) Mr. Russel would have done had he just hit a unoccupied car…Nothing inside this individual kicked in to tell him to stop … No little voice

in his head saying.. we need to stop… The guy just doesn’t have it within him to do the
right thing… Who wants employees like that? People make mistakes… its their actions afterward that tell you what sort of person they are…

#16 Comment By Dynamicdave On July 10, 2013 @ 9:37 am

I agree, it is extreme to ask him to be fired (unless his job was a job that required him to be behind the wheel for a living). However, he makes big money and he is working under the NFL guidelines. He knows the rules and the probable backlash for his actions. So, as I said, you play, you pay. He wasn’t just driving drunk. He was involved in an accident where others were involved and could have been hurt or killed. The NFL, as an organization cannot stand by and let their employees run amok and get away with incidents such as this one. Does the NFL have the right to punish him? Sure they do. Will they? I’m fairly sure they will. As for “speculation,” it is safe to say he was rolling the dice and that he was extremely lucky that nobody was injured (actually, the officer WAS injured). I’m not speculating that he “might have got into an accident.” He DID get into an accident. Maybe this will be his wake up call?

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